


when we see them again

by theoreticlove



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, M/M, Some Wine Is Involved, They’re Sad About Their S/Os
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 00:00:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19982707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoreticlove/pseuds/theoreticlove
Summary: elrond finds out that glorfindel is married, and they have a nice, long chat.





	when we see them again

Elrond walked into the kitchen room, hoping to get himself a glass of wine, to cure the worry he felt over Arwen. She had just left to go spend months with her grandparents, and he worried over how she would adjust. The ways of the people of Lothlorien were not the same as in Rivendell. Would she adjust properly? Would she miss her home? Would she be treated well, or like an outsider? Would she make friends? Would she-

The sound of sniffles cut him off from his thoughts, and he wandered around, glass in hand, trying to find out which of his companions was crying so. 

The answer, apparently, was Glorfindel. The Balrog Slayer sat, curled up in a corner, wiping his eyes frantically so that tears would not fall on the copy of the book he was holding. He seemed completely lost in thought, but he was also staring intently at one of the drawings inside the book, of an elven figure with a sword drawn.

“My friend, what is the matter?” Elrond said, crouching down and putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. 

Glorfindel looked up, tearing himself from the book almost painfully and wiping his tears. 

“Yes. Yes, I’m- I’m okay.” He spoke in such a way that Elrond might almost have believed him, had his voice not cracked, his cheeks not been stained with tears and his eyes not filled with an incomprehensible sadness. 

“Certainly you are. You’re the picture of joy. All smiles and bright eyes.”

Glorfindel let out a breathless laugh. “Fine. Maybe I am not as alright as I would have you believe.” 

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“I just... I found this book, this one that I’m holding, in the library. And it- it was about the people of Gondolin, and it’s- it looked- the author wrote it in FA 507.”

Ah. Elrond understood now. Gondolin itself had not fallen until FA 510. Glorfindel had found a book about his people, by one of his people.

“And so I checked it out and came to get some wine, because I thought it would be a tough read. But then I dropped it and it opened and Turu-Turu- Turukano was there and the likeness of the portrait was so real and I- I-“

Glorfindel’s eyes had begun watering up again. His breaths shook and his chin quivered. Elrond felt a rush of sympathy for him, fully sitting down to wrap an arm around his friend and squeeze his shoulder, hoping to offer some comfort.

“I’m very sorry for all you have lost, Glorfindel.”

“Thank you,” Glorfindel said. They sat in silence for a while, Elrond sipping on his wine and Glorfindel sniffling occasionally, trying to regain control over his emotions.

“My name used to be Laurëfindil, did you know?” Came a sudden sentence. “That’s how I am referred to, in the book. It’s nice. It feels like I’ve regained a part of myself that I had thought lost. They talk about me, and my house, and my friends and my husband and all the things I used to enjoy doing. I think the author interviewed me, although I can’t remember it.” 

Elrond was taken slightly aback at the burst of information. He decided to focus on the first bit.

“Laurëfindil... it’s a lovely name. I rather like it. Would you prefer I call you that?”

“No, no. I like Glorfindel now. I feel that, although they mean the same thing, the switch to sindarin better reflects my life in this age. But perhaps, when we return to Valinor, I will begin to go by Laurëfindil again.” 

“So you plan to return to Valinor?”

“Of course. I will spare no effort in protecting the line of Eärendil, as was my mandate when I return to life, but I will return to my home as soon as possible. I want to renew my wedding vows, as soon as I get back. I picture it in my head, sometimes.”

“I did not know you were married,” Elrond said. He was keeping his sentences short, for he had forgotten how much Glorfindel talked. He could go on and on, hardly stopping for air. His bright personality was slightly diminished by his sadness, but it was still there, buried underneath.

“Yes, I am! I suppose I have not spoken of him, out of grief. He fell with Gondolin. And while I’m not too sure on how a regular reembodiment process works, I hope that he is waiting for me, across the sea.” His voice became soft, staring wistfully into the distance, in the direction of the west.

“I am certain that he is, Glorfindel. Does he have a name?”

“Ecthelion.”

“Ecthelion... Ecthelion of the Fountain? You are married to Ecthelion of the Fountain?” Elrond said, jolting with surprise. His First Age friend never stopped surprising him. 

“That’s the one. He was so beautiful. So bright. There is a drawing of him in here, it captured his expression perfectly. It is the page I was crying over when you walked in. I miss that face. He would look at me as though he was completely disinterested my antics, but I could see the light and the laughter in his eyes. I... I miss that.”

“I can’t blame you. I am certain he is waiting for you, across the sea. And if he isn’t, I will personally go banging on Mandos’ door.”

Glorfindel laughed. “Thank you. It is a lovely thing, to have a friend as good as you.”

“Likewise, my friend. But tell me more about Ecthelion! How long were you married? How did you meet? What was he like?”

Glorfindel set the book aside, settling comfortably against the wall and smiling.

“He was wonderful, Elrond. He was playing the flute, when we first arrived in Gondolin, sitting on a tree stump. And I looked up into his eyes, Itarille- Idril in my arms, and he looked at me and he smiled at me and I was in love. We started courting shortly afterwards, when we had been designed as lords of our houses. I wanted to take things slowly. We were both still reeling from loss, then. And no one knew if Ondolindë would even be safe for long, with the Black Enemy’s spies out. I didn’t want to worry about losing him. Of course, I suppose I did, in the end.”

“I am sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was a long time ago. Eventually, we realised that there was no point in going slowly, we were hopelessly in love with each other. He was my everything. And my brother in law, Turukano, your great grandfather, insisted on having dinners with Itarille, Írissë and I at least once a week. And when Turukano began inviting Ecthelion to those dinners... well, we all knew he was the love of my life. We did wait a surprising amount of time to wed, though. I regret that. We had only been married for five years when Gondolin fell. I wish we had had more time.”

“Well, when you arrive home in Valinor, you will have all the time in the world to spend in marital bliss,” Elrond said, and Glorfindel laughed.

“And so will you!” He said. “We must coordinate our outings, a double date, if you will. Do you think my Ehtelë and Celebrían would get along?”

“I think anyone would get along with someone who made your eyes light up so. Do you think my Celebrían would get along with Ecthelion?” 

“Oh, without a doubt! I think Ehtelë would like Celebrían, she’s such a bright and kind personality. To be honest, I doubt anyone would _dislike_ Celebrían.”

“Then we shall plan our co-outings upon return to Valinor!” Glorfindel said. 

“We shall!” Elrond said. He stood suddenly, walking back over to the kitchen and pouring a second glass of wine. He gave the second glass to Glorfindel and sat back down, smiling at the elf who had quickly become one of his dearest friends.

“To when we see them again,” he said softly.

Their glasses clinked, and both drank.

“To when we see them again,” Glorfindel echoed. 

They would see their loves again.

**Author's Note:**

> the double date has all four of them doubled over laughing at something or other.


End file.
